Behind the Battle
by Ellodia
Summary: -HIATUS- It is no longer the tragedy between Achilles, Hector, Briseis, and Troy. When outsiders finally recognize Larissa, a woman who has lived with the priests in Apollo's temple, the safe story of Troy tumbles, as Larissa has to protect all she loves.


Larissa padded a wet clothe over Marcus forehead, he has been ill for nearly a month now, and his fever won't go away. She set the wet cloth in a bowl of water and turned to finish mixing her balm. The balm, with healing herbs and purified water, would help ease the fever long enough for a physician to come with the medicine.

Marcus had always been like a father to her, and she was happy to return the favor of looking after the priest.

She always felt indebted to him after he took her in when she was found on the steps of Apollo's temple nearly fourteen years ago. He watched her, kept her safe inside the temple, hidden from anyone who would come to pray. She never quite understood why she had to be hidden from people coming to pray, but whatever the reason Marcus insisted it was for her safety to live unknown.

Larissa never doubted Marcus judgment he was wise and an honorable man and priest.

He propped himself up on his elbows, but she quickly pushed him back into bed. His wrinkling skin sagged as he fell back in resignation. Marcus would need to be well rested in order to grow better.

'Prayers can wait,' Larissa whispered to him as he grew restless once more, 'I'm sure Apollo will be glad you took time to heal.'

Marcus sighed, 'Apollo will not allow me to heal since I have ignored the prayers since my sickness began.'

She scoffed and grabbed the bowl holding the balm, 'You are too harsh on yourself, the gods know we are not immortal and expect us to try to stay healthy.' She paused and handed him the bowl, 'Honor them by taking care of yourself. Put this on your arms and face twice a day until the medic comes.'

Marcus obeyed and started smearing the balm on, giving his skin a glow, 'If you start to feel sick just call for me'

His dark brown eyes glanced up and with a sickly smile and nodded his head in appreciation, before turning back to the balm, sitting it on the table near his bed.

'Thank you,' He said while she started walking out the door. She turned around; her white-blue eyes sparkled with their own light.

'You're welcome.'

With that, Larissa turned and walked down the hallway, heading towards the room where meals are held. She had been late for dinner all week from helping Marcus eat his food, but she didn't mind, neither did the other priests nor the temple maids. Everyone loved Marcus and hoped he would re-gain his health sooner.

As she stepped into the eating hall she was greeted by a shock, she leapt into the air and yelped.

Briseis and all of the temple maids gathered around her, singing a song that she had never heard before. They pulled her in towards the table and her eyes widen in amazement, there, on the table were pastries and fruits. More than she could ever imagine existing!

'A gift,' Briseis smiled while pulling Larissa into a seat next to her, 'from my Cousin Hector, he wants us all to pray to Apollo to help protect Troy.'

'What?'

'From Hector!' Chrysies cheered from the other side of the table, her cheeks flushed from the wine.

'No, that's not what I meant...' She began but noticed everyone but Briseis was already eating.

Briseis had been her best friend since she had joined as a temple maid, and she always listened when Larissa had something to say. Mainly because whenever she spoke it was few and far between and very understandable.

'Out with it!' Briseis cheered while biting into a pastry, 'What is it?'

Her blue eyes bore into her friend, she was royalty, and Larissa had always assumed royalty would be stuck up, but her friend was one of the nicest she had ever met. 

'You said he wanted us to pray for the protection of Troy,' Briseis nodded her head before taking a swig of wine and a jolly smile across her face.

'Yep.'

'Why does Troy need protecting?'

Silence fell like a plague across the room, and their eyes all landed on her. She could almost hear their thoughts, whatever was happening they didn't want her to know. Maybe they all agreed with the priests that she shouldn't be brought into the troubles of Troy in order to keep her hidden? The idea made her stomach jolt.

When no one moved to answer noise slowly filtered into the room and everyone returned to their feast.

She turned her pleading eyes to Briseis but other temple maids to join in prayer had pulled her away. Soon the room was empty other than Larissa, and she piled up several tarts and apples and scurried off to her room.

Slowly eating, she ate three tarts and two apples, saving the rest for the morning. The creak of her door made her spin around. Unlike the other Priests and Temple maids Larissa had been given her own room, for some unknown reason Marcus had demanded it.

'I heard your question.'

Worry paced through her as she rushed to Marcus side, 'You shouldn't be out of bed!'

'I had to come Larissa, my sweet child,' He paused while she quickly brought him to rest on her bed, 'You deserve an answer.'

'What do you mean?' She was curious; he couldn't have heard her asked about Troy. He would have had to be out of bed and in the room and she would have seen him if he had!

He laughed which quickly turned to a cough, gladly sipping on the water she had handed him, 'About Hector and Troy.' She gasped, but did not press him for answers until he was ready to speak. She could scold him later about being out of bed when he is as sick as he is, but right now, she wanted answers. And Marcus was giving them to her, 'The young prince.'

'Hector?' She smiled, she heard stories of him, he was her age, eighteen was not young.

'Paris,' She nodded while he went on, 'He traveled back home from the meeting of peace with Menelaus, King of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon the-'

'King of Greece.' Marcus raised an eyebrow questioningly but held his tongue in order to finish.

'Paris took the Spartan queen here to Troy,' Her eyes grew thrice their size, 'Agamemnon threatens war, and they are on their way to seek Menelaus's revenge with the largest fleet of ships in history.' He took a breath, 'Do you know what that means child?'

Deftly she nodded her head, her mind stuck on what might happen to Troy, 'War is coming to Troy,' she paused and gathered her thoughts together, 'a war Hector fears we may not win.'

Images of the glamorous walls of Troy in shambles was enough to make her ill, yet alone the idea of all the people said to live there dead She turned from Marcus, her hands clamped around her stomach, she now wished she didn't know what was to come to Troy.

Larissa watched with interest from the steps of the temple as several men dressed in a royal blue walked up to her. A week had passed since she was told war was coming to Troy. She watched the approaching men with great interest.

One man looked oddly familiar, with his shoulder-length curly chocolate hair, a beard that was just growing on his chin, like a shadow, and brown eyes. He was broad boned, yet slim, and he led the group of men.

'Excuse me,' the man said, 'We are here to bring the relics to Troy for protection.'

She watched as his eyes met hers, as if searching for something, which made her stomach cramp and her heart beat faster. Her voice was lost, her feet glued to the stone steps.

'Ma'am?' Another man spoke up, he had black hair, but looked as presentable as the first, 'Are you all right?'

Larissa couldn't tell them that they were the first men she had seen other than priests in her entire life. Her voice was stolen still, and when the group exchanged strange glances they started to retreat down the steps.

'Wa-wait!' Relief flooded through her, knowing her voice had returned. The man with chocolate brown hair turned with a quirky smile across his face. 'I-I'm sorry I wasn't told anyone was coming or else I would have...'

'Been more prepared?' The black haired man replied, but she shook her head.

'I would have hidden,' Turning away she waved them inside with a gentle smile on her face.

They followed, and she turned away, a blush of excitement filled her cheeks as she led them to the other priests. Marcus was the first who bowed his heads and dropped to his knees, quickly followed by the other priests. Larissa was confused, whom were they bowing to? These men couldn't be-

Marcus grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her down to her knees as well. When she started to ask why they were on their knees they were told to stand by the man with brown curly hair.

'Where is my beloved cousin?' The man spoke to Marius who had just gotten to his feet.

'Prince Hector,' he bowed his head in respect, 'She is with the other temple maids in prayer for the protection of Troy. Just as you wished.'

Hectors deep brown eyes pierced Larissa questionably, and she knew, he thought she was a temple maid! He refused to say it, but he was thinking it disrespectful for one to be outside the other temple maids that were in prayer.

Marcus noticed Hectors stare and quickly tried to pull the attention off of her.

'My lord,' he began while the priests quickly pulled the other men to the offering room, 'My fellow priests will show you to the relics we wish guarded in the city, if you would follow them...'

Hector nodded but turned back to Larissa, obviously his curiosity had not been shifted.

His eyes lock with hers and for a moment her heart stops.

'Is there something amiss?'

He turned and gave Marcus a questioning glance before shaking his head and following the other priests.

Marcus turned, 'Go find Briseis.'

Larissa's eyes snapped over to him, concerned as he started coughing. She moved to help him but he shooed her away with his hand flying through the air.

'Bring her to her cousin,' He wheezed before retreating down the hallway, 'Stay with her, it is time that you are around people.'

Then he vanished.

She was out of breath, her heart pounding away in her chest.

Finally, she had been sheltered from everyday people, though royalty aren't exactly everyday people, for thirteen long years, and now he was letting her! Excitement flared as she jogged through the corridors, stumbling over her dress every other step. Finally she burst into the prayer room, a large smile on her face grew when she saw whom she was searching for.

'Briseis! You're cousin is here!'

Her eyes seemed to sparkle with joy as she leapt up, and raced from the room laughing, her hand pulling Larissa along until they burst into the relic room. She watched as Briseis leapt into the welcoming arms of her cousin.

Jealousy flared inside Larissa as she saw her best friend being twirled around and laughing with Hector.

That's what family must be like.

Together and happy to show affection. Larissa longed to have the family that abandoned her here at Apollo's temple. She wanted nothing more than to know the love bond that connects a family, to see what her father looked like. 

She would often dream of what her family would have been like. Maybe she had a father, or a mother who would have loved her, or a brother whom she could poke fun at. Maybe she even had a sister out there.

Larissa stood awkwardly, banishing the thoughts of family from her mind.

Her family, wherever they were, left her when she was five. Alone and on the Temple steps, they didn't know that she would be brought in, or even if the priests would have taken care of her this long.

'Cousin this is my friend,' Briseis spun around and pulled her next to Hector, instantly she bowed her head in respect, 'Her name is Larissa, Larissa this is my cousin Hector.'

'Nice to meet you Prince...' she said awkwardly before averting her eyes to the man with black hair whom she had seen earlier. His eyes were assessing her curiously.

'No need for formalities, call me Hector.'

She only nodded before stepping away with a smile on her face, a mask to hide her nervousness.

'You must understand Hector, she hasn't been around people other than priests for thirteen years.' Larissa glanced wide eyes to Briseis who saw no harm in telling about her past here.

'Are you a temple maid?' He raised an eyebrow before moving out of the way of men loading the holy relics into crates, 'Most maids are to be around people who pray.'

'She is not cousin,' Briseis shared a thankful smile with Larissa, 'She was abandoned here when she was five.'

Larissa's smile fell while Hectors eyes grew wide.

Was it really that horrible to be abandoned at a temple?

'You seem younger,' Hector said, giving a nervous smile, his eyes never leaving hers until he noticed all the relics had been loaded into carts to be transported to Troy. 'And look... _familiar._'

Then the black haired man swaggered up to Hector, laughing jollily, 'No need to be modest Hector. If I didn't know any better I would have guessed you were twins!'

: Hector:

He couldn't get over what Darrin said about the woman Larissa and himself the day before. It was true the girl did look oddly like his deceased mother, but nothing like him. She had the same curly brown hair, yes, but her eyes were blue-white, where his were a dark brown, she had been around the height of his chin where he was a head taller than many men.

They did not look anything alike other than the hair. Many Trojans have curly hair of all colors.

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

Normally this wouldn't have bothered him, he would have left it be and passed it off as a joke between good friends, but the fact that he had seen the resemblance between the two had left him uneasy ever since.

He had left his wife to sleep alone in their room with their son that night, like the night before when he had helped secure the relics from the temple, he did not want to stress his love with silly thoughts.

That night he had not slept; he had walked aimlessly around the castle, the streets of Troy, and eventually went to the conference room, waiting his father come sunrise.

If anyone had answers it would be Priam.

His father would be able to answer any question, but Hector hoped his old father would not reply in riddles of the Gods.

Hector believed in the gods but also believed his father put too much hope that they will do everything without him having to interfere. _'The will of the gods will come to be, and I will not meddle in affairs that are not mine.'_ Were his exact words, but Hector knew that in this upcoming war, unlike his fathers beliefs, the gods would not win it for the Trojans. 

They could not win the war. 

'Ah Hector!' Priam's cheerful voice floods the chamber, 'What wakes you so early?'

'The same thing that has had me awake for two nights,' Hector began, turning so his father could see the dark circles under his eyes, 'The thing that kept my mind too awake to be with my wife.'

'Has Cupid struck you with another arrow? Are you out of love with your wife?' 

'No father-'

'Have you bed another woman?'

'That's what I was about to ask you!'

Priam's face fell, never had Hector spoken to him like that. The moment the words had left his lips he silently cursed himself for how forward he had been. There was no going back now.

'There is a girl in the temple of Apollo,' His voice slow and steady making sure his father understood, 'She is not a temple maid, but a girl who had lived there since she was five. She looks younger than me but by Briseis talk I found out she is exactly my age.'

Priam looked flustered, 'There are many women your age my son.'

'Yes, but no other woman in Troy except mothers family had this girls blue-white eyes.' Hector watched while his father switched his weight from foot to foot, 'did you do it father? Did you bed mother's sister? The girl must be of royal blood. She has hair like yours before it grew white.'

'My boy you don't know what you're talking about. Too many days have passed and you haven't slept, rest Hector and join your wife. War is upon us, within two days we expect ships on our shores.'

Without another word Priam fled from the room with purpose in his step.

: Larissa

Briseis had been brave, holding a mask of peace over her face as she helped pray for protection. She had been escorted into the hidden chambers of the temple along with Briseis, and now her friend is panicking.

She attempted to comfort her but she was crying tears for her cousin. Apparently she thought Hector would not survive, but Larissa knew better. Just from seeing him earlier that week she could tell that he was made for war and that he would not die. Or she hoped he wouldn't.

Hector had seemed so familiar to her. As if she had seen him before, of course the very thought of seeing him before was outrageous, she had been kept from people (other than priests) for thirteen years.

There was no way she could have seen him before.

But she was still haunted by the idea that she could have known him before she was abandoned when she was five. As impossible as it was the idea never left her mind, even as Marcus came into the hidden chamber.

"Larissa, Briseis." he addressed them and replayed his message, "War will be on us very soon, one ship is nearly at our shores."

Breath caught in Larissa's throat.

It had all happened so quickly, time seemed to be passing without a second thought. She had expected the time to draw out and be unbearably long as they waited for was to come to the temple.

"Though soldiers are here to protect the temple they brought a message from the King."

"Priam?" Marcus nodded.

"He wants you two to return to the city because he knows the priests will not."

Silence followed, until Larissa found the right words to speak, "How did Priam know I was here?"

Marcus seemed hesitant to answer. Briseis watched with curiosity, she too wanted to know the answer. Reluctantly he responded with a sigh.

"He has ...always known."

"What?" She gasped at how amazed she was; someone had known she lived here? How did the King even know her?

"Calm down Larissa, I can not explain it now. You two must leave to Troy for protection."

Briseis crossed her arms, and she knew what her friend was thinking, she was not about to abandon Apollo and the gods like the other temple maids had a few days ago.

"I'm not going," Briseis was the first to say, but Larissa nodded her head and stood next to her friend.

"Neither am I."

Marcus lowered his eyes, "Then we all are doomed..."

"You shouldn't be here." The black haired soldier mumbled under his breath to Larissa who turned, just noticing a group of soldiers were standing inside the temple.

"I remember you," ignoring what he said she raised a questioning eyebrow, "You came here with Prince Hector nearly a week ago..."

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, a small smile across his face. The girl had a good memory. He watched as she vanished down a corridor and came back a few minutes later, holding thick bread and water for him and his fellow soldiers.

"What's your name?"

Larissa's eyes snapped up to meet his, "What's yours?" She loved avoiding people's questions; it was a special talent of hers. "Darrin."

"I'm Larissa," She smiled and they shook hands, "Nice to meet you." He nodded his head.

"Hector was told only one temple maid and five holy men were staying here."

Larissa looked down and a smile grew on her face once more, "I'm not a temple maid or a priest, but I couldn't leave my family behind." He raised an eyebrow, "Oh! They aren't my blood family." Darrin nodded in understanding.

"Hector won't be pleased you're here," Darrin said suddenly, "He's been fussing about you more than he has about Briseis… and she's his cousin."

Silence followed as she watched as the soldiers ate the bread and drank from the flask she had brought them. The sounds of distant battle erupted in the air around them and the soldiers, including Darrin, scrambled around collecting their shield and helmets, pulling on their various pieces of armor. She followed unnoticed by Darrin as the soldier filed outside of the temple to protect the steps of the temple.

She scanned Troy's beaches and was shocked that all the battle noises was only from a single boat of soldiers, black shields matched the black sail of the ship as nearly fifty men stormed the beach, their black shields connected to each other as a giant shield to protect the mass of foreign soldiers from the arrows that seemed to fall from the sky.

The men broke apart as several more ships reached the shore, and they ran forward towards the hundreds of Trojans protecting the beach.

Battle cries echoed in her mind as she saw gore splatter across the sands as the war began.

There were hundreds more ships propelling themselves towards Troy's beach. Gulping she saw the black shielded soldiers move as one closer to the temple.

"What are you doing?" Darrin hissed from the statue of Apollo that stood on the steps outside the temple, "Get inside!"

She was paralyzed as she saw a sole soldier charge towards the temple, she ducked her head further inside the temple but enough to watch what was happening.

The foreign soldier didn't wear a helmet, blonde hair gleaming in the sunset, glistening off of the gore that covered his armor as he came nearer to the temple. When his foot touched the steps the twelve Trojan soldiers, except Darrin, charged him, swords ready to attack. Darrin stayed back, for he knew Larissa had not moved.

They watched as this one man slaughtered the men in front of them within seconds. Larissa cried out and attempted to run out to help, but was shoved out of sight by Darrin's strong arm.

She turned to return outside when she heard Darrin's gasp.

Running at full speed her gown caught on her foot as she watched the scene in horror.

A golden blade sword was stuck in Darrin's forehead; blood splashed everywhere, rolling down his face and armor. Crying out she fell backwards, an arm wrapping around her before the blonde soldier could see whom the cry came from.

The foreign soldiers started chanting a name she couldn't understand as Marcus pulled the limp and frightened Larissa into a room deep in the Temple. Briseis appeared out of nowhere and began checking her temperature, having never seen Larissa so horrified and pale.

"Watch over her, and stay hidden." Marcus warned before shutting and locking the door from the outside.

Briseis dabbed Larissa's forehead with a wet piece of fabric and smoothed back her curly hair from her cold sweat covered face. She sat as Briseis did this, her eyes never forgetting the bloody corpse she had just seen. The death of a man she had just met.

"H-h-he's..." Briseis shushed her gently, and pushed her curls out of her face, "It'll all be fine." But as Briseis said this screams echoed from inside the temple, and fear spread through them both.

Larissa clutched tightly to Briseis as pounding came from the other side of the door. The two girls huddled towards the back of the empty room; the only things inside were they. Suddenly the pounding stopped, and the two girls sighed in relief.

Maybe the men had given up on getting inside. This was the room where the relics once were saved, but now it was the last room they felt safe in.

Larissa looked over the walls for a hope of escape, but they were locked in while the foreign soldiers were locked out.

"Do you think they've gone?"

Briseis couldn't answer before the door fell open, wooden splinters flying through the room. They screamed in fright as five men barged in, their eyes instantly landing on the two. Smirks crossed their faces as they walked closer. Briseis pulled her up so the two were standing.

"What a prize for Achilles..." One man said while his hands grabbed Larissa's arms and pulled her close to him, she screamed and tried to beat his hands off her shoulder.

"Briseis!" She yelped while her friend was struggling against another soldier, "Larissa!" She screamed back as the two were pulled apart.

"No…!" She screamed as the man's arm snaked around her waist, "Let me go! Please!" Tears fell down her face, but the soldier ignored her, Briseis had already been wrestled out of the room. "Let _go!_" She brought her knee up awkwardly and slammed into him with great force.

The man yelped, groaned, and fell to the floor in pain.

Running before the other soldiers could realize what happened she bolted after the men who had grabbed Briseis. The girl was still struggling. Leaping onto one man's back he spun around in shock, trying to throw Larissa off, she beat her fists into him, until his hands gripped her arms and flung her off effortlessly, she back collided harshly onto the stone floor.

Air left her lungs and she struggled to regain it, when she did a foot came down on her chest, restricting her breathing.

"She's a fighter." The original soldier grumbled, "Maybe the soldiers would like her better than Achilles."

The man whose foot was on her chest snorted, "No, Achilles won this temple, he gets first pick at its spoils."

The other men sighed, and she was lifted back to her feet, only to begin struggling again.

"I've had _enough_ of this!"

Something hard hit her head.

The world tumbled into darkness.

Larissa moaned and tried to move her hand to her head, only to find it was impossible, her wrists ached as she tried to struggle against the ropes that bonded them together. She was lying on her side, while someone was kneeling next to her, yelping she jumped into sitting.

Moving so fast made her mind begin to blur and she swayed, closing her eyes to a rather shocked blonde soldier, and leaned back. Yelping she felt cold metal, spinning around she saw she was in the center of a giant tent, alone, with the man.

Everything was so wrong...

The man...He was the one she had seen at the temple, the man who had killed the soldiers and Darrin! Only now he wasn't wearing armor, he was wearing only a wrap around his waist, his muscled chest fully revealed and right in front of her as he leaned in to dab her face with a cloth. Flinching, the man noticed, his eyes swept across her horror-stricken face and pulled his hand away.

"What is your name?" He asked in a friendly voice, Larissa backed away as he moved in to dab the cloth against her skin again.

He sighed and dropped the cloth near the water and moved away, returning a few moments later holding a dagger in his hands. Her eyes widened as he bent down towards her, the blade gleaming in the light.

"I'm not going to hurt you, girl." The man said while reaching behind her and cutting her bonds, "Now," he turned while Larissa rubbed the soreness from her wrists, "What is your name?"

Larissa made no attempt to speak just continued watching him and rubbing her wrists. He stood near a basin of water and began washing his face, water dripping down his neck and arms.

"All servants of Apollo have names."

"I am not a servant of the Gods," Larissa said automatically and the man looked at her, her face went pale at the memory of Darrin's bloody death, "And you... are nothing but a murderer."

He flicked water at her, causing her to flinch and push herself away as he walked towards where she sat.

"I am a warrior," he said, popping a grape in his mouth, "I do what any warrior does."

"...You kill..."

"Yes, I kill, but so does every other man you meet when war comes." Larissa was silent and watched, as the man looked her over. She shifted and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Your men, they killed Apollo's priests." He nodded. "They captured my friend... Briseis?" She asked looking hopefully up at him. She prayed she was alive and well, somehow having gotten to Troy, hoping to the gods that she had not been taken a slave to a soldier like she had been.

"The pig Agamemnon took her nearly an hour before you woke."

Silence fell on the two as Larissa thought of the horrible fate that waited for Briseis and herself. They were slaves... to men. What would he do to her? What would this man who had killed Darrin and so many other soldiers so brutally, do to her?

But when she looked up at him she saw nothing but a tired man, a little older than herself.

"Larissa."

The man looked over at her, one eyebrow rose higher than the other, "What of it?" She nearly laughed, momentarily forgetting that she was named after the country Larissa.

"That's my name." She whispered.

A light smile formed on his face, "I'm Achilles." Her stomach growled, thinking she had grown on him so easily he moved closer with food, "Eat."

She didn't move, she refused to eat food from her captive. It could be poisoned. Or worse, it could have been drugged.

He frowned at her hesitation and grabbed an apple from the tray, and began eating. "You are a lot like that Briseis girl, she didn't trust me either."

"If you were a prisoner would you trust your captive?"

He smirked, "I wouldn't get caught."

She sighed, he was right. Larissa had seen how he fought, there was no way this man would be a captive unless he willingly gave up.

Grabbing an apple herself she quickly began eating, enjoying the sweet juices and flavor. She hardly notices Achilles had been watching her.

Until he reached forward, his hand brushing a curl of brown hair that had fallen over her eyes. Slapping his hand away she dropped the half eaten apple to the floor. Achilles scowled to himself, "Are you afraid of me, girl?"

She thought carefully for a good way to answer without offending her captor anymore, looking up her eyes locked with his.

"Should I be?" 

"Don't fear me girl," He paused, his eyes meeting hers again in a heated gaze, "You're the only Trojan, other than your friend, who can say that." He turned and pulled on his amour and began to storm out of the tent when Larissa realized what he had called her. She told him her name and he still called her 'girl'!

"I have a name you know!" Achilles looked at her once before vanishing outside the tent. She could hear him mutter to people outside.

"Make sure she stays inside."

Larissa sat in the corner of the compartment that had been set up for Achilles most- likely when he first conquered the beach.

There was no doubt in her mind that it was in the early hours of the morning, and she was still alone. It comforted her to an extent, at least when no one was with her then nothing bad would happen. The bad thing is she could feel sleep bordering her consciousness, and each blink she took the more paranoid she became that someone would come in and hurt her in her drowsy state.

She noticed that the guards who had once been at the front of the cloth doors of the large tent had vanished nearly an hour ago, most likely assuming she had fallen asleep. She wanted to get up and run, even while being half asleep… but it was probably safer inside the tent than to be outside where she heard the drunken hollers of soldiers.

Allowing her head to lean against her palms she breathed in deeply, enjoying the lingering scent of the oils she used to sprinkle around the temple to purify the area. It smelled of roses and baby's breath on an early spring morning.

The curtain was drawn back with a sudden force that made her leap to her feet in fear. Meeting the rather shocked gaze of Achilles her inner warnings flared in her mind.

He turned from her, shrugging his shoulder as if dismissing her existence. "I see you're still here."

Larissa was shocked for a moment, had she ever truly been able to leave?

Giving a slow nod of her head she brushed away a wave of brown hair from her eyes, stepping eagerly towards him. Forgetting that moments ago she had been fighting sleep, "Have you heard anything of Briseis?"

He stopped, and with the movements of a sluggish man he slumped over towards the pile of pillows in the far end, collapsing into the soft pillows she had found out were stuffed with goose feathers while she was alone. "She is still with Agamemnon."

"Has he hurt her?"

With a mighty grunt he flung his hand into the air, signifying he was done with her questions, and let his head tumble into the softness of his bed. Persistently she moved towards him, blushing when she realized that somewhere between the entrance and his bed he had lost all but the blanket that covered him, she turned her attention to her captive.

Tapping his forehead she waited for a moment, he did not respond. With a 'humph' she turned away from his sleeping form with frustration.

The sounds from the feasting soldiers had faded away into nothing now. And in the silence she began to feel the thorns of sleep dig into her as she stumbled towards the exit, her fingers grazed the cloth that divided her from her freedom.

The moment she thought about opening it and making a mad dash towards Troy, she hesitated.

She was a prisoner of the most powerful soldier in the world, if she dared try to escape, his men would probably kill her for shaming their leader. The Myrmidons were the force that fights alongside Achilles, she should have remembered that when she saw the black sail and shields when they first attacked Troy's beaches, but she was too horrified then to think of the information she heard from Marcus.

If she left now she also would be leaving Briseis. If she were alive, she would be dooming her to a life of slavery, and being a spoil of war for the rest of her life. Briseis had a family to return to, and if Larissa could accomplish anything in her time as a captive she would help her friend escape before freeing herself.

Letting the cloth fall from her touch she turned back towards where Achilles slept. She had never experienced a war in her lifetime, but from what Marcus had taught her in the temple there is always a five-day break after the first attack so that each of the sides can recuperate.

She had five days to free herself and Briseis.

Sitting down lightly next to the bed Achilles slept upon, there were a few extra cushions there, and she curled into them for warmth.

Larissa quickly fell into slumber as new warmth of a blanket fell over her.

: Hector

He sat, running his rough fingers through his tangled hair. The temple had been taken before his very eyes, and he lost them. The priests had been slaughtered, and he had a run around with the infamous soldier, Achilles.

He feared for his cousin's life. When Achilles let him flee the temple he caught a glimpse of Briseis being brought into a black tent on a mound of sand a half a mile up the beach. The spoils of war often included certain soldiers being given gifts of captured women for their pleasure. She had always been faithful to the gods and to Troy, and if she was dead he made a pact to Apollo to slay the men responsible for killing her.

Then there was the girl, Larissa.

He found out she had remained in the temple with Briseis and a handful of priests from the temple maids that had fled before Troy had been attacked.

Alongside his cousin he had also seen a figure being slung like a sack over a man's shoulder, and even though the figure looked as dead as night, he knew by the thick brown curls that the person had been Larissa.

There was something inside him that connected him to that girl, and he could feel it boiling in the pit of his stomach that there was something more to her than her father told him.

He had lost the two people that had been on his mind lately, the two temple maids, one was bound to him by blood, the other by some invisible connection.

It was likely that both of the may be dead.

The thought clung in his throat as he gulped it back down. Deep inside he scolded himself for how his mind seemed more worried about Larissa than his cousin, somehow he knew that she was doing well, for now, and that it was Briseis that his fear should be latched to. Yet, whenever his thoughts fall to what happened in the loss they had today, his mind rushes to the image of Larissa being thrown over a man's shoulder…

The door opened briskly as his wife swept into the room, delivering worried kisses along his cheekbones. He smiled warmly and brought her into a tight embrace, at least the girl from the temple was not competition to his wife.

"I was so worried when I heard you were lost to the temple…" She mumbled, taking in his scent. He patted her head and reassured her once more that he was fine, when something squirmed in his gut.

If he wasn't a romantic connection that triggered within him when he thought of Larissa, what was it?

: Larissa

She woke with a start, blinking twice as she noticed bright sunlight beaming in from the thin cloth door. The tent was warm from the black material soaking up the heat, and she wished she were once more in the cool stone temple, her feet gliding across the smooth floors.

The blanket tumbled from her shoulders and she looked at it skeptically, glancing back at the empty bed where Achilles had once laid.

He probably dropped it on her without realizing she had been sleeping where she was, she reasoned before stretching her arms high above her head, resembling a feline flexing after a long day.

Achilles walked in with an odd strut in his step, his eyes falling to her with a spark. He was fully dressed in the robes that fell to just about his ankles, open in the chest like many fishing folks' tops would be. He was wearing blue and white, also odd colors for a soldier fighting under Sparta.

"Good morning." He said, and she opened her eyes to spy him grabbing a plate of fresh fruits from a man outside.

She was silent as he came closer, extending the plate after grabbing a slice of bread and some grapes. With a rumble of her stomach she snatched the plate away, quickly devouring three chucks of bread, two apples and several banana slices.

With one blond eyebrow quirked he chuckled, "You certainly are unlike any woman I have met."

Brushing away some juice that had slide down her chin she straightened her shoulders and clenched her jaw, setting the plate down easily and latched her gaze on him. "Thank you," she mumbled with a light smile crossing her lips, "A temple maid is supposed to be different than most women."

"Really now," she nodded, "And how is that?"

Lifting her chin confidently she rose one finger with each thing she had to list, "First we are dedicated to the gods," ticking off fingers on her way down the list she continued, "We have a strength most women give up in their younger ages, we are delicate and can sense when the gods are around us and with us, we…"

He cut her off with a slightly irritated snort. It was her turn to raise an eyebrow to him, "What's so funny?"

"You dedicate yourself too much to the gods."

Larissa scowled, glaring as he paused, focusing on the sound of a pair of soldiers passing his tent she vented her anger by tugging on the pillow she had clenched between her palms.

"And what would you know about dedication to the gods?" he acted as if ignoring her, "Have you ever had a vision from them? Have you ever met one in order to see what their will is? No, you haven't, so I highly doubt that you have any right to tell me how much I should dedicate myself to them."

His eyes narrowed as they focused back on her, "I know more about your gods than you ever will little girl."

Clenching tightly to the pillow she tried to sooth her temper. She had never been made this angry by anyone in her entire life, not even when the temple girls teased her when Briseis and Marcus weren't around to protect her from their cruel words.

"I would _love_ to hear your wisdom on the topic." She rolled her eyes.

"This is a waste of time," he paused, and for a moment her stomach leapt into her throat as he loomed over her, "I will tell you a little secret, something they don't tell you in that temple of yours. The gods envy us." She snorted and his wrath seemed to darken, "They envy us because we're mortal," Larissa's eyes widened, his voice softened but the power in his tone was amplified, "they envy us because any moment may be our last."

There was a brief silence before he turned from the tent, vanishing into the onslaught of light.


End file.
